Thirteen Ways to Mess With the X Storyline
by Sakanagi
Summary: The effect of a few changes to the pasts of the Seals and the Angels might end up making a huge impact in 1999...
1. Way 1

Thirteen Ways to Mess With the X Storyline

Way #1

Sakurazuka Setsuka looked at her young son with a calm expression that bordered on quiet pride.

Little Seishirou was outside in the small garden of the apartment block they currently lived in, playing with the butterflies as they fluttered around the flower beds. He was carrying a butterfly net.

A passing neighbour smiled at Setsuka, and said "Ah, aren't children so adorable at that age?"

Setsuka nodded her head. A few strands of her silky hair fell across her face. "Indeed." Then the neighbour walked away in to the building.

Seishirou toddled up to his mother and held out the butterfly net. His amber eyes gleamed. "Look at what I caught!" he announced. Trapped inside the net was a butterfly with exquisite wings the colour of a dramatic sunset. "Pretty," he said.

"It is pretty," said Setsuka. "Shall we add it to your collection?"

"Yes," he replied.

The old lady who lived next door to Setsuka and Seishirou had once insisted on visiting them in their apartment. Setsuka had let her in, since it would be be uncharacteristically rude of the sort of woman she pretended to be not to do so. After all, it was a perfectly normal-seeming apartment, and there were no hints within it as to the true identity of its owner. Except that there was perhaps one that Setsuka had overlooked. The old lady had been horrified to see Seishirou's butterfly collection on display.

"Dear me," the woman had said. "Having dead insects around must be disturbing for your little boy. Does he know that they're real butterflies? It's not really my place to say, Sakurazuka-san, but surely this might be a bad influence on him? Children get so upset when they find out about what death is."

Setsuka had given a non-committal reply, but she privately disagreed. Her son had never been disturbed by death. Seishirou was such a good boy, she thought. Even at such a young age, he was well-coordinated, possessing a keen hunter's instinct, and also an appreciation for beautiful things. A perfect candidate for being the Sakurazukamori.

It was time to begin Seishirou's training in earnest.

* * *

One day, Setsuka decided to take Seishirou to Ueno Park to meet the Tree. She thought the Tree was a thing of beauty, although she herself preferred the deeper shade of red camellias rather than the pale pink of the blood-tinged sakura. It was a sensible idea, she thought, to introduce her son to the centrepoint of every Sakurazukamori's existence well in advance of him having to associate with it in a professional capacity.

It was winter, and only one sakura tree was in blossom. It was extravagantly colourful in comparison to the other trees, bare-branched and barren, that lined the park. One could almost imagine that the other trees were jealous of the Tree's magnificent blossoms.

"Seishirou?"

"Yes, mother?"

"Do you know why it is that these sakura blossoms are pink?" asked Setsuka.

"No."

The wind traced its insubstantial fingers through the branches of the sakura tree, and a cloud of petals fell in swirling arcs towards the ground where Setsuka and Seishirou stood.

"It's because beneath this tree, there are corpses buried. Their blood tinges the...Seishirou, are you listening to me?" Setsuka turned around, disturbing the sakura petals that had landed on her shoulders. She was, to her surprise, mildly annoyed. Here she was imparting the secrets of the Sakurazuka clan to her son, and she could tell that he wasn't paying even the slightest bit of attention to it.

"Seishirou?" She took a good look at her son. His face had turned an unhealthy shade of purple, and he looked as if he were about to faint. "Seishirou! What's wrong?"

A faint groan was the only reply before Seishirou actually did faint.

"I can't be quite sure what the problem is until I run some tests," said the doctor at the nearest medical clinic, "but it looks to me as if your son has just had a severe allergic reaction to something. He'll be alright this time, I think. Tell me, has he eaten any sort of new food recently?"

"No, I don't think so."

"What about animals? Was he around animals at the time that he collapsed?"

"No," said Setsuka. Her concern about her son's condition was a new experience for her. She was unused to feeling that sort of emotion, and she found that she didn't like it one bit. It was unsettling.

The doctor paused. "Well, what about plants?"

Setsuka got to experience yet another emotion that had previously never made her acquaintance: a sinking feeling, one that might be called dread.

* * *

Beneath the Diet building, Hinoto dreamed. As she dreamed of the future she saw many things - happy things, terrible things, things that showed loss, anguish, and ruin, and sometimes the joy before unhappy times - but the future was always one. It was foreordained, and there was nothing she could ever, ever do to change it. It was always one...but one day there would be a person, the Kamui, who would be given a Choice. Hinoto was envious.

She saw Tokyo Tower, on which stood cloaked figures whose faces were only partially visible. Seven Seals, and seven Angels, who would fight on the promised day to save or destroy humanity. A dramatic scene, set against the backdrop of a city teetering on the brink of destruction. She also saw many feathers and sakura petals, but they were only there to set the mood.

...Something caught her eye. Frowning, she looked closer.

One of the cloaked figures appeared to be wearing a mask, of the sort worn by hay-fever sufferers. He was sneezing as discreetly as he could manage. It rather ruined the tense, apocalyptic atmosphere of the whole situation.

Hinoto heard a brief, muffled sound from behind her, and she realised that she was not alone. "Kanoe! Keep out of my dream!"

Kanoe would have smirked if she wasn't too busy trying not to laugh. "Alright then, sister. Just this once." She left the dreamscape with an unnerving giggle, the likes of which Hinoto had not heard for centuries and never wanted to hear again.

Shivering slightly, Hinoto turned back to her dreamgazing, and saw...

* * *

End of Way #1: Give Seishirou an allergy to sakura blossoms. 


	2. Way 2

Thirteen Ways to Mess With the X Storyline

Way #2

Subaru checked the note detailing the location of his next job. He was anxious to get it over with. It sounded like a simple task - exorcising a spirit that had been causing trouble at a minor Tokyo train station - but it was the last of three appointments he'd had that day, and he was tired. When he got home, he was sure that Hokuto would tell him off for not taking good enough care of himself.

_"Subaru!"_ Hokuto had said just a day ago, _"You need to eat more. You're only fifteen, you know. A growing boy like you needs lots of food. Besides..." she grinned wickedly, "...how am I ever going to find you a boyfriend if you're too thin?" _

"Hokuto-chan!"

The outfit he was wearing today was a high-collared black-and-white checked tunic over black velvet trousers. He wore shiny black boots with white straps, white gloves, and a black velvet-and-lace peaked cap with a cross embroidered on it. He felt like a giant chessboard, but Hokuto had assured him that he looked stunningly handsome, and that it was merely his terrible dress sense that led him to believe that he looked like a total idiot. The tunic included a long built-in cape made of fine black lace, which was deliberately frayed at one edge. The end of the cape snaked back and forth across the ground as he walked.

The train station was just ahead. The station manager had been forced to close it down temporarily, since none of the station's staff were currently willing to work there. The trains were still running through the station, but they weren't stopping there.

Subaru wondered why train stations were often the sites of hauntings. People usually didn't spend much time in stations, so why would their spirits linger there after death? Maybe a spirit that seeked attention would stay there. Its actions would be difficult to ignore in such a busy place.

The road was lined with delicate blossoming cherry trees. Subaru paused under one tree for a moment, looking up at the branches. It reminded him of a strange dream he'd had last night. There had been a cherry tree in that dream...

_  
A dark-haired young man wearing a school uniform stood in front of him. Subaru couldn't see his face. _

"Do you like these flowers?" said the young man. His voice was slightly muffled.

"Yes!" said Subaru enthusiastically.

The young man seemed somewhat...displeased to hear that. "Hmmm." He frowned.

"Do you like cherry blossoms too?" Subaru asked.

"No." The young man sounded bored. "Do you know that bodies are buried under this cherry tree? This tree blooms like this because of the bodies beneath it. Cherry blossoms were originally pure white, but these ones are slightly pink. Do you know why?"

Subaru shook his head.

"It's because they suck the blood of the corpses buried under the tree." The young man looked straight at Subaru. His statement would have been far more threatening had he not been wearing a partial face mask, of the sort worn by people with hayfever.

"The people buried under the tree...don't they suffer?" Subaru said, with tears in his eyes. They must be in so much pain, he thought.

There was a pause.

The young man's eyes widened. His eyes were a beautiful shade of golden brown, but as Subaru could see, they were a bit bloodshot and wince-inducingly watery. "Tell me, do you still like these flowers?"

"No. Even though they are very beautiful."

The young man looked pleased. As far as Subaru could tell, anyway. Perhaps he was even smiling. "Then...let's make a bet..."

Subaru wondered why that dream was stuck in his mind so firmly. It was almost as if that conversation had actually taken place. Maybe it had, and that was why he could never look at a cherry tree, however beautiful, without feeling uneasy.

"Ah! I'm going to be late for my appointment!" He panicked when he saw that five minutes had passed with him just staring at the cherry blossom trees, and hastily ran towards the station. He couldn't believe he'd just lost concentration like that, when he had a job to get to. His grandmother would _not_ approve.

"Sumeragi-sama?" said a worried-looking plump woman with thick glasses. She was waiting outside the entrance. "Excuse me, but are you Sumeragi-sama?"

Subaru nodded, and introduced himself politely. It turned out that the woman was Tsukikage Keiko, the station manager. He could tell Keiko was initially a little surprised and disappointed that the onmyouji sent by the Sumeragi clan was so young, but that was quickly over-ridden by her need to get her station functioning again. Even a haunted train station couldn't be deserted for long in a city like Tokyo. This had to be dealt with quickly.

"For the past week or so, people have been hearing strange noises on the platforms. I can't quite explain it, but it sounds as if someone is talking nearby, right next to you, yet no-one's there, and you can't understand what they're saying. Things have been moving around, too. The first few times it happened we thought it was caused by a mild earthquake...Eventually we realised that this station was the only place affected. These events have been increasing, and now I'm the only staff member who's willing to go inside the building. That's why I thought it was best to get an exorcist to help." Keiko explained.

"Have there been any deaths here recently?" asked Subaru.

"No, not that I know of. I was transferred to work here starting just over a week ago, so I don't know that first-hand, but I'm sure someone would have told me if it were otherwise." Keiko sniffed into a hanky, clearly upset. "I'm sorry," she said, "it's just that...this is my first week of my new job. Please excuse me."

"Ah, don't worry about that, Tsukikage-san." said Subaru as kindly as he could. "I should go and take a look inside, and I'll sort this out as soon as possible."

Keiko unlocked the station's door, and let Subaru in. "I'd probably get in the way if I went with you." she said. "W-wait a moment. I forgot. You should probably know that the previous station manager died last week. From old age, I heard. But he died at his home, not here. He worked here for a long time. Maybe it's his ghost."

"It could be."

The station was unnervingly silent. The sound of Subaru's boots tapping on the tiled floor echoed around the building, and his cape rustled as it dragged lightly on the ground. Nothing moved apart from him. And yet...

There was a presence. Subaru hoped, as he always did, to be able to resolve this situation without harming the lingering spirit, but even so he fingered the ofuda in his pocket.

Over by a row of potted plants there was a slight movement. The resplendent green leaves of one plant quivered at the touch of an otherworldly hand. The ghost of an old man who appeared to be in his late seventies or early eighties stood there. He did not turn around.

"Excuse me," said Subaru, softly.

Now the ghost turned around. His bushy beard bristled as he spoke. "Who are you?"

"I'm Sumeragi Subaru. What's your name?"

"It's Uchiyama Hideki. You can see me, boy." said the man gruffly. "Why are you here? Everyone has gone. This station has been deserted."

"It's deserted because there have been disturbances here lately. You're the one who caused them, aren't you? Don't worry, I'm here to help you."

Hideki frowned. "You're here to make me leave, aren't you? I'm not going. This is where I belong." He waved an arm at his surroundings. "Even though I'm dead, that doesn't mean I have to leave. I've been doing things my way here for so long, and people should just learn to put up with it. They shouldn't have left this place empty. It should be busy, just like it always was!"

"Even so..." Subaru began to speak.

"I won't leave!" Hideki half ran, half floated, swiftly moving away from Subaru. The station seemed to echo with noise.

"Wait!"

Subaru ran breathlessly after the spirit as it zigzagged around the building. Hideki crossed over the platform. There was a train approaching, but Subaru thought that there was just enough time for him to follow Hideki safely. He would have done so if not for one small detail.

The long, lacy cape of Subaru's lavish Hokuto-designed outfit caught on the edge of a rough tile. He tripped, and fell on to the railway line with a thud.

* * *

In a cafe elsewhere in Tokyo, Sakurazuka Seishirou was momentarily startled. Had he been a more easily surprised man, he might have dropped his teacup. Instead, he gently placed it down on its saucer. 

It was only a faint magical signal that he felt, but it left no doubt in his mind that the bet he had been looking forward to would not be taking place.

"Such a pity." he murmured.

* * *

Lady Sumeragi stood outside the door to Hokuto's bedroom. 

"Hokuto-chan. Please come out."

There was no answer.

"Hokuto-chan..."

Lady Sumeragi heard the sound of padding feet on the other side of the door. The door opened a crack.

"Hokuto-chan," Lady Sumeragi tried to smile in a vain attempt to comfort her granddaughter, although she didn't feel like smiling at all. It was likely that she would never feel like smiling ever again, but for the sake of her eldest grandchild she would do her best.

"You." Hokuto practically hissed through the gap between the door and its frame. "Go away."

Lady Sumeragi could see that the girl's eyes were red from crying. She wished that she knew her granddaughter better than she did. Perhaps if she had spent more time with the Hokuto when she was younger then they might have become closer. Maybe then she might have understand the girl well enough to be able to ease her pain in some small way.

"You need to eat something," said the old woman. "I know you are upset, but I am sure that Subaru-san would want you to eat."

Hokuto glared. "I'll eat." she said, opening the door fully. "But...this is...all...your fault. If you hadn't made him take so many appointments and work so hard, then Subaru would still be here now!" She stomped off along the corridor.

Lady Sumeragi watched her go.

* * *

Three weeks later, Hokuto realised that she was never going to feel any better. Even knowing that her brother would want her to be happy did nothing for her. 

In the dreamscape, she told that to Kakyou. Despite his expression being as sad as always, somehow his presence was a comfort to her. Still, she was far from being happy.

Kakyou knew that Hokuto could not be happy without her twin. It was too long since he had seen Hokuto's dazzling smile, and heard her laugh. The girl was not herself, and he hated to see her like that. Truth be told, he was more than a little worried about her mental state.

So Kakyou looked down at the tatami floor of the dreamscape and quietly told Hokuto about a girl named Kazuki.

"Do you remember what I told you about the battle for the end of the world? This girl was meant to be one of the Dragons of Earth, but she died of illness. I have seen this in my dreams. However, she will be present in 1999...in a way... because soon she will be cloned. They have had some difficulties cloning her due to DNA damage from her illness, but they will find a way around that in a few weeks. It's taken them 20 years to get this far."

"Cloned? I didn't know that such technology existed." Hokuto's eyes gleamed.

She smiled at Kakyou. He found it slightly disturbing, but he smiled back at her anyway.

"I still have some of Subaru's hair from the last time he got a haircut." said Hokuto conversationally, still smiling in an eerie manner. "Kyou-chan, could you tell me the location of these people who know how to clone?"

* * *

The phone rang. Hokuto picked it up before it had time to ring twice. 

"Moshi-moshi."

"Moshi-moshi," said the man on the other end of the phone. "Are you Sumeragi Hokuto-san?"

"Yes." Her tone of voice was remarkably calm.

"About your brother..." said the man. "As you insisted, we have tried to clone him."

Hokuto grinned widely. "And has it worked? Go on, tell me!"

"Well..." The man was reluctant to speak. "In a way it worked."

"IN A WAY?"

"There was a small accident."

"What sort of accident?"

"I'm not precisely sure how it happened. One of our less experienced lab workers mixed up your brother's data with that of another person we are trying to clone, and...um...in a way it'll be your brother..."

Hokuto fainted. She wasn't prone to fainting, but there's a first time for everything.

* * *

Within her dreamscape, Hinoto blinked. In her vision, where she had seen 14 cloaked figures only a few moments ago, now she saw 13. Precisely between the two groups of the Dragons of Earth and the Dragons of Heaven stood one of the figures, who had an extremely confused expression on his (or was it her?) beautiful face. 

Hinoto wondered what this might mean.

* * *

End of Way #2: Kill off Subaru, have Hokuto get him cloned at the same place as Kazuki, and have there be a little accident...and end up with Sumeragi!Nataku. 

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. :)


	3. Way 3

**Thirteen Ways to Mess With the X Storyline**

**Way #3**

"Now we'll play a game," the playgroup teacher said. "Let's go around the circle, and I want each of you to tell us about or show us a special talent you have. Let's start with Goro-chan."

The unlucky Goro screwed up his face as he tried to think. "I...can suck my thumb?" he said.

The teacher's bright smile barely faltered. "Everyone has something special about them. Take some more time over this and you'll surely remember what your talent is. In the meantime, Karen-chan, it's your turn." She could rely upon the cheerful little girl to participate in the game.

Karen hugged her teddy bear close with one arm and held out the other in front of her. The other children in the circle leaned forward, craning their necks to see if she was holding something in her hand. She wasn't. Then...she was. A small flame danced above the girl's palm.

"Isn't it pretty?" Karen beamed.

* * *

Karen's mother put down the phone. "Karen?" she said. "Your playgroup teacher just called. She told me you brought a box of matches to playgroup today. Is this true?" 

"No, it's not." Karen shook her head vehemently, and locks of her curly red hair spun around her face.

"She says you lit a fire. Why would she lie about it?"

"Oh, I lit a fire," said Karen. "But not with matches. I don't need those."

Karen's mother laughed softly. "You don't mean to say you used a tinder box or rubbed some sticks together to light that fire, do you? Look, darling, just tell me where you put the matches. It's not safe for you to have them."

The little girl frowned. "I didn't use matches. I just...did this. See?"

The air lit up with the flickering of many orange-red flames. They moved in circles, according to Karen's will, until she let them die, leaving only puffs of smoke in their place, and soon not even that.

Karen's mother stood stock still, with a hand covering her mouth. Her eyes stared fixedly at her young daughter.

Nervous under this scrutiny, Karen took a step back. "Mama?" she said, uncertainly.

Finally, Karen's mother lowered her hand to her side. She trembled slightly. "That..." she whispered, "...is...so cool!"

"You think so, Mama?" Karen jumped up and down happily.

"I can't wait until I tell my friends about this!" Karen's mother clapped her hands with glee.

* * *

A beaded curtain served as the door to the living room. Karen stood close to it, straining her ears to listen to the conversation being held. 

"It's extraordinary!" said Karen's mother. There was a chink of crockery as something was moved on the table.

"Oh, it is, it is," agreed one of the other women in the room. "Your daughter's power is miraculous. She's truly gifted."

"There have been portents," said a high-pitched voice. "They say the world will end in 1999. It will be heralded by the rise of Atlantis, blazing comets, and the spiritual re-awakening of the world. Incidentally, Kasumi-san, is this a new brand of incense I smell? It's delightful."

"You like it? It's from the new shop, you know, the one that sells those lovely crystals. It just called to me. I think I was destined to find it."

Standing outside, Karen sniffed at the air, which was laden with a thick scent. It was not unpleasant, she decided. Herself, she preferred candles to incense. They burned with a clear flame.

"I tried an ouija board reading the other day." The woman with the high-pitched voice spoke up again. "It gave me a strange message. It said, 'No cults for the girl'. I think the spirits are talking about your Karen-chan! Maybe you should keep this news quiet? People with special abilities sometimes find the attention difficult."

There was a pause.

"Well..." Karen's mother said. "It may be too late for that. I've already contacted the Tokyo Holistic Paranormal Phenomena Society, the Faerie Psychics Coven, and the Mysteria Magic Magazine. Mysteria is going to run an article about Karen. I think it'll be all right. She needs to learn more about the way things really are."

Karen clutched Paul tightly.

From the apartment's door came a thumping sound as the first of many cultists announced his presence with a vigorous rally of knocks.

* * *

"Ka-r-en, it's only a clothes shop," whined Karen's friend Sachiko. "What's wrong with going there?" 

14-year-old Karen bit her lip. "It's an occult clothes shop. There'll be all sorts of strange people in there."

"The only things in there are nice dresses. Some of them are kind of gothic, but they're hardly going to bite you. Relax."

"Okay then." Karen smiled. Maybe she was worrying too much.

Inside the shop, Sachiko fingered a v-necked red dress which featured long mediaeval-style sleeves and a dramatic split at the side. "It's so pretty. If only my mother would let me wear this sort of outfit!"

"Doesn't she?"

Sachiko looked perplexed. "Of course not. My mother would say this dress was, oh, over-the-top and drippy or too revealing or something like that.

"My mother would think it was far too plain."

Sachiko giggled at what she thought was a joke. Karen rolled her eyes.

Then, someone tapped Karen on the shoulder.

"Who might you be?" said Karen, turning around gracefully. Her expression was neutral.

The stranger was a tall, bearded man, who smiled broadly at the firemaster. "You are...Kasumi Karen, are you not?"

"You haven't answered my question."

"I am from the Tokyo section of the Foretold Societal Collapse Society. We are mistakenly considered to be cultists, by those who do not know the truth. Our leader wishes for you to be brought in to the fold, and requests to swiftly meet you, of whom he has heard so much."

Sachiko's eyes threatened to pop out of her head.

"How sad." Karen said, smiling sweetly. "I don't believe I can find the time to meet your leader, today, or any other day. "

"I must insist." The man procured a knife from the pocket of his jacket.

Seven seconds later, the occult clothes shop met with an unfortunate accident which the local press later reported as an unconfirmed case of the spontaneous combustion of a large number of fashionable dresses. The main line of clothes carried by the shop was subsequently pulled from the shelves of alternative and new-age shops countrywide. Snide remarks were undeservedly made about the competence of the shop's employees.

The smoke cleared. Sachiko, unhurt by the flames, ran down the street away from the scene without so much as a backward glance.

Karen sighed. She lost a lot of friends this way.

* * *

Hokuto tapped on the glass of the tube Nataku was inside. 

"Oi, Subaru!" she called.

There was no response.

"The scientists here say that you don't have a soul." Hokuto frowned. "That's why they called you 'Nataku'. But they're wrong. I'm sure you're in there somewhere, Subaru!"

Nataku's eyes were open, but it did not react.

"I've brought photo albums with me. We're going to look at these pictures until you remember them, do you understand?" Hokuto opened the first photo album. "This is from our third birthday party. Don't we look cute! Although the clothes Grandmother made us wear are terrible. Of course, it wasn't really our birthday..."

Hokuto continued talking.

Kazuki did not recognise the people in the pictures, or the green-eyed girl who was chattering about birthdays. She did not look like anyone Kazuki remembered.

* * *

In the Sakurazuka family house, Seishirou wiped a thick layer of dust from an old scroll, and started to skim read it. After a moment, he sighed and rolled it back up, finding that it contained no information of interest. He placed it with a number of already-discarded scrolls and books. 

Over the centuries, the various Sakurazukamori had accumulated an impressive collection of occult writing. Their specialised knowledge of onmyoujitsu was almost unrivaled, and of great value. The Sumeragi clan would, Seishirou suspected, dearly like to get their hands on some of the scrolls he possessed. In turn, it was also true that Seishirou would like to view the Sumeragi clan's rather more extensive library.

The next scroll that Seishirou read was of great interest to him.

It seemed that once, a long time ago, a Sakurazukamori had been careless in choosing her successor. Her successor proved to be highly incompetent, and almost caused the end of the clan. What he did was to accidentally reveal the location of the Sakura Tree, and to a member of the Sumeragi clan no less. The situation was dire. Although a fool, the new Sakurazukamori was an excellent onmyouji, and upon realising his error managed to move the 'essence' of the Sakura Tree to a different sakura, in a safe location far away from the former tree.

If transferring the power of the Tree could be done between sakura trees, Seishirou reasoned, then surely it was possible for it to be transferred to a tree that was_not_ a sakura.

The idea was appealing.

Now he only had to decide if he could put up with the embarrassment of being something along the lines of 'the Kaedezukamori'.

* * *

An old man was standing outside what looked to be a large glass tube, Subaru noted. 

"Kazuki...why don't you respond?" said the old man. His face was unfamiliar, as was the laboratory with all its computers and blinking lights.

_This is a strange dream_, thought Subaru. He closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

* * *

Hinoto shook her head and took another look at her dream. "I must have been distracted earlier." 

In her dreamscape, the clothing of one of the figures shifted as she watched. Lacy, revealing lingerie became a conservative grey business suit.

To most it might seem a minor detail, but to Hinoto it was as significant as if a conga line had decided to dance along the beams of Tokyo Tower.

Her jaw dropped. "It did change. I saw it."

* * *

End of Way #3: Make Karen's mother a particularly flaky new-age fanatic. 

Thanks again to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. :)


	4. Way 4

Thirteen Ways to Mess With the X Storyline

Way #4

The child safety gate lay open, for once not carefully latched shut. Before long, little Kusanagi toddled through it, reverting to crawling after a minute of wobbling on uncertain legs.

There was something he had to see.

In front of him was a low table, covered in small potted plants. They whispered, each with a distinct voice, and Kusanagi giggled. He didn't understand all of what the plants were saying, but then, the same went for his parents.

One plant whispered louder than the others. Kusanagi felt like it was talking to him, and telling him to move closer. It looked so much more appealing than the soft toy dog his mother had given him, which couldn't talk except with a _squeak_ when its paw was squeezed. Maybe he could have this instead? He reached out with his chubby right hand to stroke the soft-looking plant.

It was not soft.

Hundreds of little cactus prickles stung his palm. Whipping his hand back in shock, he lost his balance and toppled over, but managed to steady himself on his hands - one of which already felt like it had needles stuck in it.

Taking a break from wailing, Kusanagi glared reproachfully at the offending cactus before starting to cry again.

The cute, cuddly looking cactus would have appeared perfectly normal to an ordinary ear, but to its young victim it was making a _Snh snh snh_ noise very much like a snicker.

* * *

Later that week, the child safety gate wasn't shut properly; someone was being careless. 

Mr. Cactus might not like him, reasoned Kusanagi, but there were other plants around which might. He was so bored with his other toys.

It turned out that Mr. Venus Flytrap didn't want to be friends either.

* * *

"It's break time, so out you all go to play! The weather's lovely," said the smiling schoolteacher. 

Kusanagi dragged himself reluctantly away from his desk, and shuffled away, with his shoulders hunched as if trying to make himself look smaller.

"Kusanagi-kun?" A small girl, named Kimiko, walked up to him. "You look lonely. Do you want to play frisbee with me and Yuji and Rika?"

Kusanagi smiled hesitantly. "Yes."

The playground was safe, plain grass, with not a single dangerous plant mixed in with it.

The children laughed, dashing back and forth and jumping up to catch the frisbee. Kusanagi missed catching it a few times on purpose, since his coordination was somehow a lot better than that of the others. It was pleasant, being around other people his own age.

One misdirected toss of the frisbee by Yuji sent it flying furiously in to the branches of a tree at the edge of the playground. It stayed there, with bits of it just visible amongst the leaves, looking like a neon yellow bird nest.

"My frisbee..." said Kimiko, with tears glittering at the corner of her eyes.

"Hey, you're strong, Kusanagi-kun," said Rika. "Can you get the frisbee?"

Kusanagi took a step back, and saw three expectant faces before him. "Okay..."

Biting his lip and striding up to the tree, faking confidence, Kusanagi laid a hand on the tree's trunk. "I know you don't like me," he whispered, "but I need to get that frisbee back. They're relying on me, and I won't take long."

He hoisted himself up on to the lowest branch of the tree, and managed to get to a second branch, then a third, slowly working his way up. It wasn't strenuous activity for him in the way it would have been for his new friends. The wood under his fingers felt pleasantly rough.

Standing carefully on a large forked branch, he was finally able to reach out in to the mess of twigs and leaves that had captured the frisbee. Fingertips brushed cold plastic, and then with a loud snap the branch under his feet broke away from the body of the tree.

An ambulance was called immediately. As Kusanagi was lifted up on to a stretcher, the paramedics heard him speak, apparently to no-one.

"Okay, I get it. I can take a hint," he mumbled. "No need for you t' be like that."

The paramedics checked, but there didn't seem to be any obvious head injuries.

* * *

Sato Maiko, president of the high school gardening club, was pleased but not surprised when Shiyuu Kusanagi joined her club. He would have been an asset to most sports clubs, given his build, and some would think that was where his interests lay, but Maiko saw that the young man's hands wore a few pock marks on them, probably from a thorny plant, and she also noticed the soil under his fingernails. 

Kusanagi gave every appearance of leading a wholesome lifestyle; he looked as if he hiked ten miles before school every day, lifted weights during break, hiked back home again, and ate only healthy organic meals. He was the sort of person who seemed to be made for the outdoors.

Throughout most of the busy gardening club meeting, Kusanagi sat silently in the corner, seemingly absorbed in a foreign book that Maiko could just about read the title of with her limited knowledge of English: _The Day of the Triffids._

Shiyuu-san is just shy, thought Maiko.

A pair of keen gardeners ended their vigorous discussion about the best summer flowers to plant, and a lull in the club's conversation followed.

Kusanagi put down his book, and sat up straighter, his eyes bright and inquisitive. "I want to learn about weedkiller," he said, softly.

* * *

A knock sounded on the door. Karen opened it gingerly. 

In the corridor stood a girl, short and sleek, dressed in a beautiful Noshi ribbon patterned kimono. A sun symbol was drawn on her forehead. The girl opened her mouth to speak, but closed it when she got a good look at the owner of the apartment.

Karen's hair was black, and scraped back in to a tight bun. She wore no make-up, and her outfit, although of an elegant cut, was of a drab colour, and of the type worn in offices.

The kimono-clad girl tried again. "I am of the Beams of the Sun organization. I seek the flame-witch Kasumi Karen. Does she live here?" The plainly dressed woman in front of her who had answered the door could not be the witch, could she? The witch was said to be beautiful, and to be fair so was this woman, but surely a powerful witch would dress with appropriate flair.

"So sorry. She moved out last month," said Karen.

The cultist's face fell. "We need her power! Where might she have gone?"

Karen almost felt sorry for the cultist. Almost. "Even if I knew - which I don't - I wouldn't tell you. That Kasumi Karen, oh, she's a terror. I hear she said that the first person to disturb her in her new home would be _set on fire_."

"Oh."

When the sound of footsteps faded, Karen shut the door and smiled, pulling off her wig and freeing her auburn curls from captivity.

Karen didn't know who it was that had posted her address on an occult website last week, but if her suspicions were correct, it would be a long time before she spoke to her mother again.

She tossed the wig up in to the air and caught it as it fell. "You're the best investment I've ever made," she told it.

* * *

Subaru was asleep. In the dream he hovered in, everything was hazy and disjointed, and there wan't much to see. An ocean of misty grey surrounded him. It didn't matter; he was content to stay there. 

Down the centre of the dream lay a glittering wall - visible one second and gone the next.

Suddenly, Subaru saw someone on the other side.

The someone must have seen him, because he or she moved closer to the divide, slowly becoming less obscured by the mist. It was a little girl with a sleepy expression on her face.

"Excuse me? What are you doing in my dream?" asked Subaru.

"This is my dream," said the girl. Her words were strained at first, as if she hadn't spoken for a long time. "What's your name?"

"My name is Sumeragi Subaru. I thought this was my dream...I'm afraid I don't know why you're here."

"...It's because Kazuki died," said the girl.

* * *

Seishirou frowned behind his sunglasses as he saw the 'Many Apologies - We Are Closed' sign on the doors of Tokyo's finest gardening centre. He very much disliked it when his plans were stymied. Today he had carefully planned out his day so that he could conveniently drop by this fine establishment after completing his job (another corrupt government employee: when would they ever learn?) and waste as little time as possible in the process. And now the place was shut. 

Still...to the Sakurazukamori, there was rarely anywhere truly inaccessible. The only question was whether he could be bothered wasting energy on a place like this.

He stood for a second, remembered the indignity of having to wear a face mask during his assasination work, and then wrapped a finely crafted illusion about himself.

As it turned out, he needn't have bothered. The garden centre was a mess. Seishirou did not approve. Each plant lay brown and withered, dropping leaves, petals, or in the case of the cacti, spikes, every time the wind brushed them.

This was not the place to find a replacement for the sakura.

Seishirou stalked silently past the shop's whimpering manager, who spoke sadly into a mobile phone. "Yes...everything here...super-strength weedkiller...it's a nightmare...who..."

Outside the building, a burly man was leaning against the wall, smiling in what could be described as a sadistic manner. Seishirou, still clad in illusion, noted that fact, and then dismissed it as soon as he left the area.

* * *

Souhi and Hien began to fear for the sanity of their Hinoto-hime. As always, they knew their mistress was regularly subjected to the most terrible of visions. If they could have taken her place, and seen tragedy after tragedy unfold before them instead, they would have done so. The subdued pain in Hinoto's voice and the unshed tears in her eyes as she viewed the future always made them grieve, even as the quiet strength of the woman's spirit inspired them and filled them with pride. But...this time was different.

The petite dreamseer was whispering to herself, over and over again, with her blind eyes wide and her hands shaking. "It changed...it changed...it changed..."

_Again, the dream in front of her flickered and one of the Dragons moved, this time to stand with the other group._

"It changed," she said finally.

"Please, Hinoto-hime, is something wrong?"

Hinoto only smiled serenely.

Somehow this made Souhi and Hien more worried, rather than less.

* * *

End of Way #4 : Make plants hate Kusanagi. 

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far. Sorry for the long time between updates!


	5. Way 5

Thirteen Ways to Mess With the X Storyline

Way #5

_She beamed at him; her smile was for him and him alone. This woman was the most precious person in the whole city, no, the whole country - no, the whole world! And she was smiling as if the universe revolved around him, when it in fact it could only be true that it moved for her._

_Her lips parted. "Congratulations," she said - this goddess in human form was deigning to speak to him. "I heard that you've been promoted. You've done so well! Would...would you like to go out after work for a drink with me sometime?  
If you're not busy."_

"Shimako-san..." Aoki said dreamily.

A co-worker waved a magazine in front of his face. "Hellooo? Anyone home?"

Aoki's half-lidded eyes opened fully. "Ah! Sorry!" He snapped to attention, the very image of virtue and resolve.

The co-worker - Sato, a man with slicked back hair and a badly concealed gum chewing habit, laughed quietly. "Don't worry, the boss wasn't here when you were dozing. You're so earnest, Seiichirou-kun."

"I'm just trying my best." Aoki said ruefully. He straightened his crooked glasses and propped his chin up on one hand. "It's just that I can't seem to concentrate."

"Does that have something to do with, oh I don't know, 'Shimako-san'?"

Aoki's eyes widened. "I -"

"When are you going to ask her out? There's no time like the present, you know."

"It's not that simple." Aoki sighed. "At the moment, what have I got to offer her?" He waved an arm expansively over his small desk, then finally indicated the whole cramped office. "As so junior an employee, how can I even _think_ of talking to her?"

Sato whistled. "You've thought this through. Are you that serious about her, Seiichirou-kun?"

The slightest of blushes coloured Aoki's cheeks. "It's difficult to say. I need to spend more time with her. But I am hopeful that she might be the one for me. That special person I've been waiting for."

"You're the best worker out of everyone here - don't be modest - so that promotion's got to in the bag, and everyone knows it. Better decide where you're going on the first date, eh?"

* * *

"Thank you, sir! I'm sorry - what did you just say?" 

"I said that your application has been _declined_, Aoki-kun."

The young man paled. "I'd thought you said -"

"I'm afraid not," said his boss. "No we chose not to promote you now. It's true that you're qualified, but you see, the one to have the job needs a certain...pizzaz."

"Pizzaz?" Incomprehension was painted on Aoki's face.

"Style. Panache. Je ne sais quoi. A sense of danger and mystique is what we're looking for the magazine to hold, and as such we want its editorial staff to possess some of the same."

"And I don't have that sense of danger?" Even Aoki, sitting there in his tweedy suit, felt decently embarrassed at asking that question.

"In a word, no." Aoki's boss leaned back in his chair, looking less than happy at this situation; he'd always been a decent man, except that the advertising department seemed to have its claws in him a little too deeply.

His boss spoke some more, and Aoki listened intently. But all the while a thought ran traitorously through the back of his mind: _I'm a wind-master from an old and mystical clan. I will be fighting against deadly foes in the battle to determine the fate of the world. If that's not danger and mystique, what is?_

_I'm sorry, Shimako-san._

* * *

After what seemed like months but was only a few weeks, Aoki was offered a promotion, A new knitting and crochet magazine needed a sub-editor. He gritted his teeth and accepted the job gracefully. It wasn't that _he_ thought it would be a boring job, but that the ones giving it to him thought it was. 

"Aoki-kun?" said the editor, while shuffling through pattern cards. "Cross-stitch, slip stitch, top stitch...Ah yes, Aoki-kun, you know the pet judging competition we're running?"

"The one that says the cutest pet photo will be selected by our panel of judges, for a cash prize of -"

"Yes, that one. Well, Aoki-kun, you are that panel of judges."

"Oh, I see..."

Aoki watched the clock; the minute hand seemed to move too slowly, but eventually it made its way around to lunch-time.

He knew that Shimako always ate her lunch at the same cafe each day. His feet - which had felt leaden before, so heavy and out of the wind - were now lighter. Running was the easiest thing in the world - at least, he thought wryly, it would be, if the streets of Tokyo were any less crowded at this time of day.

The distance to the cafe was small. There she was - Shimako-san sitting by the window, all by herself...She was smiling. Was it premature to think that he wanted to see that smile every day of his life?

After glancing at his reflection in the cafe's glass door, he adjusted his tie. He didn't think he looked anything more than presentable, but Shimako was surely not one to be swayed by flashy appearances.

Knowing exactly what he wanted to say, he gathered his courage and stepped forward.

"Shimako-san, would you like to go to the theatre with me this evening?"

That wasn't his voice.

"Why yes, I'd love to..." said Shimako.

But that was the response he'd been hoping for.

"...Thank you." She smiled as she spoke.

"I'll see you later, then." The man standing by Shimako's table turned around.

Aoki just stared. His hand tightened around his briefcase.

"Is something the matter?" asked the man charmingly. He was blond, handsome, and seemed about Aoki's age. The suit he wore fitted him so well that if it wasn't custom-made, it meant he possessed a keen eye for style.

Aoki couldn't reply.

"No? Well, please excuse me," said the man, without missing a beat. He swept past, and closing the door gently, so as not to disturb the other customers. The newspaper held by an office lady at the next table was barely ruffled by the movement.

Soon after, Aoki left, and the gust left in the wake of the door as it banged shut all but yanked the paper out of the office lady's hands.

_Just one minute_, he thought. _One minute might have made all the difference._

* * *

"I realise the knitting magazine assignment isn't the most interesting of positions," said Aoki's boss carefully, "but it will give you valuable experience. You're a promising young man and should do well. But if the job is that much of a problem, I could look at other options for you." 

"It's not the job. I want to leave the company for -" Aoki pursed his lips "- personal reasons."

"I see, but jobs with other publishers may be scarce...It could be difficult to find work at the same level of pay, requiring the same level of competence. It's not too late to reconsider. I'd hate to see your skills put to waste." Aoki's boss seemed friendly, if a little anxious.

Aoki smiled humourlessly. "I've already got something lined up which I'm happy with." He'd always hoped to be editing books, but this was sooner than he'd expected...

His boss sighed. "I'll tie things up for you here."

There was one small pang of regret. Aoki felt it briefly - a little guilt, and some reluctance to leave this place he'd worked so hard to get to - and then just as easily he brushed it away. It couldn't compare to seeing a suave, composed blond man wait at the door of the company's building for Shimako-san, watching her take that man's proffered arm and say something in her lovely, lilting voice about going out for dinner.

He was, however, going to miss the knitting magazine. Who knew that cross-stitch could be so fun?

* * *

One floor down, Shimako was on the phone giving someone the I'm-sorry-I-think-we-should-see-other-people call, while her workmates rolled their eyes.

* * *

"Uncle Seiichirou! Uncle Seiichirou!" Daisuke ran up the hill, panting. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve; the air was thick with dust. Screwing his eyes up so that they wouldn't sting too much, he scanned the area. 

"Uncle Seiichirou! Are you here?" There was something, a dark shape that didn't look like a man, off in the distance. Daisuke, brave or stupid, went closer.

A mini tornado thrashed wildly from the green hilltop up into the sky, not reaching the clouds. Dirt and uprooted grass whirled around it in vicious circles. As if the air was impossibly anchored to the ground by a heavy weight, it did not move away from the one spot.

Seeing the figure at the eye of the storm, Daisuke's jaw dropped in awe. Soon a stray clod of grass flew into his open mouth. After spluttering and coughing it out, he closed his mouth firmly while he watched, fascinated. It was some time before he was willing to risk calling out once more. "Uncle Seiichirou!"

The wind speed died down, slowing until the tornado melted away and all that was left was a circular furrow of earth.

_Such control,_ thought Daisuke.

His uncle's hair had been whipped about by the wind, but Daisuke was willing to bet that his own, sandier hair had not been treated so kindly. He shook his head, and a cloud of dirt plummeted to the ground.

Aoki opened his eyes. "Ah! Daisuke!" He smiled.

Daisuke knew that recently it was rare for his uncle to smile. He beamed back at him. "Uncle Seiichirou, that was amazing."

"No, no," said Aoki. "Not at all."

_So modest_, thought Daisuke. _If I could do that I'd want everyone to know it. At least, Princess Hinoto._

"That didn't turn out the way I wanted it to," said Aoki distractedly.

Partly out of nerves and partly because of the dust clogging his throat, Daisuke coughed. "Could you teach me how to make the wind do that?"

"Maybe. Not today. But I think you'll be able to protect your special person just fine anyway." Aoki gazed fondly at his nephew.

"Have you found _your_ special person yet, Uncle Seiichirou?" Daisuke said brightly.

Wherever Aoki was looking now, it wasn't at Daisuke. "I haven't," he said slowly. Almost inaudibly, he murmured "I don't know if I will."

"Tell me when you do huh? And, by the way..." Daisuke wrung his hands behind his back, and his face reddened. "Could you tell me how you make a kekkai?" he said in a rush.

"You should go back to the house now, Daisuke. Your parents will be wondering where you are." Aoki looked away. His voice held a sharp edge.

Daisuke hesitated, teetering between embarrassment and distress. "Okay," he said after a moment. _He must want to be alone. Uncle Seiichirou, are you alright?_

The wind picked up again.

* * *

They screamed. It was a banshee's wail, a pure cry of agony twisting up into the sky - like nails being raked across a blackboard only it was their tortured souls instead - and Kusanagi leant against a lamp-post, letting his head loll back. A hazy smile lingered on his lips. 

Still they screamed. They were loud; he could hear them all the way out here. But - his mouth quirked again - no-one else could. It was a satisfying thought.

Although he was the only one who could hear them, it hardly meant that no-one had _noticed_. The sign on the door extended its sincere apologies to disappointed customers.

The whispers of those few who walked through the doors were all the same - who, why? The eco-vandal struck again, the fifth place this week, what a blow for the industry, why would anyone want to kill a harmless plant?

Kusanagi knew the answer to the last one.

Someone was staring at him, It was the sort of piercing look that made him feel as if it was projecting itself on the inside of his skull. His brain wanted to itch, but didn't know how to go about it.

The only person there was the one just leaving the garden centre, and he wasn't looking in Kusanagi's direction. (Strange, Kusanagi couldn't remember seeing him go into the building.)

Shifting his feet, Kusanagi felt a tug. A prickly vine hung grimly to his sock.

"You pulled the stitching right out," he admonished it. Though, now it matched the other one, which had met its fate courtesy of a rosebush.

Kusanagi hunkered down. "I'm not an angry person, really. But this is _too much_. Let go of me _now_."

The vine was defiant.

"When humanity has ground the environment to dust and all you have left to grow in is sand, I will be happy. Hear me? All I'm doing is giving extinction a hand." He drew a bottle out of his jacket with no small amount of glee. "This is the most powerful weedkiller known to any gardener."

"Is it?" said a voice, politely.

Kusanagi froze mid-tilt of the bottle. The vine gratefully let go of his sock and fell to the ground, lying low and hopefully forgotten.

A well-dressed man of somewhere around thirty years of age stood a scant few feet away from him, smiling in an apparently friendly way.

Kusanagi's eyes narrowed. _Threat_, supplied his intuition. "Uh...Hello." said his vocal chords.

"Good morning," said Seishirou. "Isn't it a lovely day?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Kusanagi cast his mind back to the petunias - cunning little blighters that they were - wailing helplessly in their death throes on the other side of the wall. "Yeah, it is a good day."

"How delightful." Seishirou turned his head to look at the garden centre. "Although I must admit that it was disappointing to find my destination was already closed by the time I got here. Still," he added cheerfully, "the walk here was pleasant."

"Did I see you leave the garden centre a few minutes ago?" questioned Kusanagi, his unease growing exponentially. _Idiot_, supplied his intuition, _you shouldn't have said that_. "It was you, wasn't it."

"Certainly not. As you can see, it is closed to the public." Seishirou tapped a finger on his chin. "Oh! But I'm sure I've seen you before elsewhere. At several other garden centres, if I am not mistaken. Are you a keen gardener?"

"You could say so."

The vine squeaked in indignation. Kusanagi promptly stepped on it.

"I keep bonsai," said Kusanagi more gruffly than he had intended. He ground his heel as if there was gum stuck on it. "You?"

"I've yet to find something which truly grabs my attention. By the way, do you like sakura?"

"No!"

Seishirou brightened. "My sentiments exactly."

All the way to the train station, Kusanagi shivered, but he didn't get that dissected-on-a-lab-table feeling of being watched again.

* * *

Seishirou sighed. "I'm just too _nice_ today. But there are so few people who share my opinion."

* * *

"Open the door! Show us the way!" 

"Lead us to victory!"

"Annihilate our enemies!"

"No, annihilate _our_ enemies!"

Karen adjusted her earplugs to block out more of the noise. Turning the page of her magazine, she focused on the first article - and winced when a particularly heavy thump on the door reverberated through the apartment and shook the table, spilling her tea all over the page. She suppressed a growl at the back of her throat, and then, changing her mind, let it loose. It didn't sound like the lion's wrath she'd expected - more like an aggrieved kitten.

The door was bolted several ways, deadlocked, reinforced at the hinges, and a great deal thicker than the average for the building.

"Join us!" called a cultist. "The Society of Anti-Cthulhu pro-pyromania demon summoning devotees NEEDS you!"

"Back off, she's ours!"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah!"

The grunts of a brawl were added to the cacophony.

Karen contemplated throwing open the door and fire-balling the lot of them. Yes...that would be fun.

But...it wouldn't be a very Ten no Ryu thing to do. There were probably penalties involved. On the other hand, would the others need to know? She felt herself clutching at the cross hanging from a chain at her neck, and pursed her lips. It wouldn't be a very Christian thing to do, either. Pity. Besides, they'd probably learned the value of flame-retardant clothing by now.

Her mother's last letter to her was on the table. It contained the usual things: _Karen-chan, why don't you pick a more fun religion? Or even better, why don't you rotate them so you have a new one each week?_ - and - _Why don't you get your own TV show? 'Karen's Hour of Fire', that sounds good. I've already started negotiations with a TV station_, and _I'm worried you'll be lonely by yourself, so I contacted this _nice_ group I met at the Dawn of the Past of the Moon's annual new recruit drive. They're coming to see you on Thursday. You need to be more relaxed about using your powers, darling! How else are you going to help defeat the Dragons of Heaven in 1999?_

"Dragons of Earth," Karen had snapped over the phone before slamming down the receiver. "Dragons of Earth. I'm on the other side."

Shortly after that, the answering machine had sprung into action, playing her mother's voice: "Aha, of course. But sweetie, I want you to know that if you ever change your mind, I'll support you just the same."

That had been the point when Karen unhooked the answering machine.

It was a terrible feeling, to know that the sound of the screaming masses in the hall would never cease; she'd seen them switching shifts earlier. Those outside were the relay teams of cultists, determinedly going for gold with the aid of the strongest coffee known to humankind.

"You are _useless_." Karen took her black wig in hand and glared at it. It already bore two scorch marks.

She closed her eyes and counted to ten.

One...Two...Three...Four...

WHAM-CRASH-SCREECH-THUD-YELL! met her ears from outside.

...fivesixseveneightnineten.

Her eyes snapped open. "Enough!"

She caught her breath and reached for the phone. Coldly and calmly, she began to dial.

* * *

"Who was Kazuki?" Subaru asked softly. 

"She was a little girl." Unblinking, wide eyes stared up at Subaru. "Kazuki's Mama and Papa and Grandpapa loved her very much."

"And...what is your name?"

The girl's mouth dropped open slightly. "My name?" she said confusedly.

Subaru smiled at her encouragingly, though he felt more than a little confused himself. "Yes, your name. You have a name, don't you?"

"_My_ name?"

"Uh, that's right."

"My...name...?" The girl struggled for words.

Had Subaru ever possessed any confidence in dealing with small children, it would have eroded by this point. He knelt down so that at least he would be on the same level as her. "Are you feeling unwell?" he asked with concern.

Deep in thought, the girl was standing still with her eyes closed. She muttered something that sounded like 'name', plainly no longer paying attention to Subaru.

Subaru gave the slightest of weary sighs, and looked down at the ground. This was a mistake; the mist floating through the air of the grey landscape was also floating through what he had thought was the ground. Past his knees he could see that when the mist shifted, all that was revealed was another cloud layer, pushed along by a wind he couldn't feel. Questions such as 'Where am I?' and 'What is this place?' began to rise insistently in his mind, and the answers seemed no more forthcoming than the little girl's name.

But...there had been a little girl whose name was Kazuki.

"I remember," said the girl with a remarkably blank expression. "My name is Nataku."

"Nataku?" Subaru knew mythology well enough to recognise what a strange thing that was to name a child.

"That is what the people in the lab called me," she said. "It's because I don't have a soul."

Subaru's eyes widened at how matter-of-factly she had said that; then he shook his head. "No. No, I'm sure you've got a soul. I've only been here with you for a short while, but I can tell that you have one."

Nataku was unmoved. "That's not what the people in the lab said. That's why -"

"They're wrong," Subaru whispered.

"Kazuki's soul could not be retrieved in the cloning process," Nataku recited, looking very much like a bored schoolchild reading out to her class. "All that was created was an emotionless doll."

This really was beyond Subaru's field of expertise. Much like social skills and the neglected art of wasting time on frivolities, instruction on the topic of cloning was something not touched upon in the Sumeragi family's teaching lexicon. But he was _sure_ she had a soul. "So...you _are_ Kazuki."

Nataku looked at him as if he were stupid. "Kazuki died," she repeated. "She was cloned, but all that was created was a soulless doll."

"But you have a soul!"

"I am Nataku. I have no soul." The girl sounded more confident by the second.

"I think you do," said Subaru with conviction. His eyes were bright, his tone was warm, and Nataku was ignoring him utterly.

Clearly, this wasn't going to work.

"Alright, I'll leave that for now," said Subaru, taking another wary glance around the landscape. The monotony of it was depressing. He began to wish for another colour: anything but grey. The girl wasn't grey. Her eyes were a pale honey, and her cheeks held a small amount of colour despite her still face. Everything else was insubstantial and grey, grey grey...Why had he felt so comfortable here before? He snapped his attention back to Nataku to block out the creeping sensation of the surroundings.

If Nataku was bothered by the lack of colour, she didn't show it.

"Why am I here?" said Subaru in a small voice.

"I don't know. I thought this was only my dream. No-one else should be here."

"But...Kazuki-chan, I'm not a dreamseer."

"Nataku," she corrected him after a moment, perhaps a tad peeved.

"Uh...Well, Nataku-chan?" Subaru folded his arms and almost shivered, although it was not cold.

"Perhaps," Nataku said, seeming to startle herself at the idea, "you are also a clone?"

"I don't think that's right," Subaru objected politely.

"Huh. I think I will wake up now," she said.

"What?" Subaru was hopelessly lost.

As an afterthought, Nataku turned to him, frowning. "Before, there was a girl who called me 'Subaru'."

Then she was gone, leaving Subaru in the dark.

* * *

Hinoto was not surprised when another of the cloaked figures disappeared only to materialise on the opposite side. 

"At least the numbers match now," she murmured. She had _wanted_ her dreamseeing to be wrong, but a small amount of treacherous professional pride had prevented her from fully enjoying the spectacle of the Eight Seals and Six Angels. There was still the thoroughly perplexed Seal/Angel standing mid-way between the groups to serve as sufficient visual confirmation of her error.

"What's going on here, Nee-san?"

"Kanoe...I'm so pleased to see you," said Hinoto, her voice as sweet as honey.

"N-nee-san?" Kanoe took a step back and crossed her arms defensively.

"Weren't you expecting me to be here?" Hinoto smiled crookedly. "Please, be my guest."

Kanoe barely focused on the Seals and Angels, keeping her eyes riveted on her sister. "Are you unwell?"

"I've never felt better," Hinoto assured her.

Shock ran across Kanoe's face, followed by disbelief, and shortly after that, by deep concern. She didn't run over, but she did walk very fast.

Kanoe knelt down and peered at Hinoto, taking in the glazed eyes and the flushed cheeks. "Tell me -"

Hinoto hiccupped.

The dreamscape dissolved into a cloud of feathers hurtling in every direction. Kanoe gave a startled jump, and covered her eyes. Her voice was muffled by the thick flapping sound.

When it died down, Hinoto giggled. "I was not expecting that."

"What IS the matter, Nee-san!"

Hinoto looked up. "I asked Souhi and Hien to give me some sake," she said idly. "But, now, without meaning to, every time I (hic!) -"

A storm of white feathers engulfed them once more.

Kanoe brushed some feathers off her suit, and tossed her hair. "You're drunk!" she accused, pointing a beautifully manicured fingernail. "How much did you have?"

"Only half a cup," said Hinoto sullenly.

One of the last, lonely feathers drifted slowly down and landed on Hinoto's petite nose. "Ah - ah," she gulped in air as it tickled her with its soft, fine strands. "Aaaa-"

"Wake up!" Kanoe ordered in a panic. "Quickly, Please!"

"...aaa..."

...Hinoto opened her eyes. It was the strangest feeling, to wake up halfway through a sneeze.

* * *

In the dreamscape, Kanoe spat out a mouthful of sakura petals.

* * *

Hien hung her head in shame. "It's my fault, I was the one who brought it for her." 

Patting her twin's back comfortingly, Souhi disagreed. "No, I poured it for her, so it's my fault too..."

"How could we have known it would affect her so much..."

"Oh! Hinoto-hime!" Souhi exclaimed.

Hien looked up as Hinoto stirred into a sitting position.

The tiny woman smiled giddily. "I think I shall sing to you some more!"

* * *

End of Way #5: Delay Aoki's promotion. 

Thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed so far. I won't take so long over the next chapter!


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